SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - California will not accept the marriage licenses granted to thousands of same-sex couples in San Francisco because the city created its own form to remove such terms as "bride" and "groom," a state official said on Wednesday.

"There is a statewide form that every county has to use for marriage applications. If we receive application forms that are different from the single form used throughout the state, we will not accept them," said Nicole Kasabian Evans, a spokeswoman for the Health and Human Services Agency.

Meanwhile, President Bush joined a chorus of those opposing San Francisco's nearly week-long experiment in allowing gay marriages, a practice condemned on Tuesday night by California's Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Evans said her agency, which processes all state marriage license applications that become state records, would return the forms if the city sent them in -- but she admitted that the issue will really be decided in the courts because the weddings violate a state law defining marriage as being between a man and a woman.

Nancy Lafaro, director of the San Francisco County Clerk's office, said the marriage license applications gay and lesbian couples in San Francisco have filled out since last Thursday were changed. "For example, instead of saying bride or groom, the form in San Francisco says applicant one and applicant two," she said.

Lafaro added the same-sex marriage application form also uses the terms "unmarried individuals" rather than "unmarried man" or "unmarried woman.

EQUAL PROTECTION STANCE

About 2,600 gay and lesbian couples have been married since Mayor Gavin Newsom allowed same-sex marriages on grounds that homosexuals have the right to wed under the state's equal protection clause.

Same-sex marriages, however, defy Proposition 22, a law approved in 2000 by California voters, that restricts marriage to heterosexual couples. The measure passed with support from about 60 percent of those who voted on the initiative.

President Bush on Wednesday told reporters in Washington he was "troubled" by San Francisco's same-sex marriages.

"I have consistently stated that I'll support (a) law to protect marriage between a man and a woman. And, obviously, these events are influencing my decision," Bush said in his first public comments on the city's same-sex marriages.

On Tuesday night, Schwarzenegger said he supported California's domestic partnership laws but called on San Francisco to obey Prop. 22.

"Californians spoke on the issue of same-sex marriage when they overwhelmingly approved California's law that defines marriage as being between a man and a woman. I support that law and encourage San Francisco officials to obey that law. The courts should act quickly to resolve this matter," he said.

Gay and lesbian couples continued to roll into San Francisco city hall on Wednesday to exchange wedding vows a day after two California state judges refused to issue temporary restraining orders to halt the practice California Superior Court Judge James Warren asked San Francisco to "cease and desist" from issuing more marriage licenses but agreed to let city lawyers argue on March 29 why it should be allowed to wed gay and lesbian couples.

A second California judge, Robert Evans Quidachay, on Tuesday delayed a hearing until Friday on another lawsuit challenging the decision to allow same-sex marriages. (Additional reporting by Adam Entous)

Form be damned, the state of California does not recognize same sex marriages. This is sortof like a newspaper columnist writing a note on the evils of murder, due to the perp using the wrong ammo to carry out the act.

Yes I recognize the gravity of the two subjects is different, but the underlying principle is the same. Illegal is illegal, despite our nation's not being able to understand the term any longer.

"There is a statewide form that every county has to use for marriage applications. If we receive application forms that are different from the single form used throughout the state, we will not accept them," said Nicole Kasabian Evans, a spokeswoman for the Health and Human Services Agency.

The irony here is absolutely amazing.

5
posted on 02/18/2004 7:35:33 PM PST
by Colonel_Flagg
("Forever is as far as I'll go.")

**California will not accept the marriage licenses granted to thousands of same-sex couples in San Francisco because the city created its own form to remove such terms as "bride" and "groom," a state official said on Wednesday. **

Marriage between same sex people is illegal in California. No piece of paper will *make* it legal. The majority of Californian's voted to keep marriage between a man and a woman. The law needs to be enforced!

If we receive application forms that are different from the single form used throughout the state, we will not accept them," said Nicole Kasabian Evans, a spokeswoman for the Health and Human Services Agency.

It would take a lot of chuzpah, but conservatives should take two 12-year-old and fifteen-year-old sisters and insist on being 'married'. An old man of 70 and a young boy of 16 and insist on being 'married'. A 14-year-old girl and a woman of 50 and insist on being 'married'. Stand in the line. it would be like the scene from Blazing Saddles where wierdos from everywhere lined up for mayhem. Get the attention of the media. (or not?) Leftists were always good at this game.

Ya, right. This is the same state that wants driver licenses issued to illegal aliens. The squashed SB 60 after Arnie was put in place and now the next generation SB 1160. I'm embarrassed to say I'm a native Californian.

"There is a statewide form that every county has to use for marriage applications. If we receive application forms that are different from the single form used throughout the state, we will not accept them," said Nicole Kasabian Evans, a spokeswoman for the Health and Human Services Agency.

LOL, not only the form is wrong but also the sex.

28
posted on 02/18/2004 7:49:09 PM PST
by Victoria Delsoul
(Freedom isn't won by soundbites but by the unyielding determination and sacrifice given in its cause)

Well, at least this bureaucrat is on the right side of the matter, refusing to accept the licenses as valid. Much better than the judge who refused to accept a suit against the gay marriage licenses because he objected to a semicolon.

It would take a lot of chuzpah, but conservatives should take two 12-year-old and fifteen-year-old sisters and insist on being 'married'. An old man of 70 and a young boy of 16 and insist on being 'married'....

It would be interesting to show up there as two brothers or two sisters and demand to be married. I'm betting the law, while prohibiting brother and sister marriages, doesn't address the formerly unthinkable possibility of same-sex sibilings.

Wasnt there a thread a few days ago, the crux was that there was a semi-colon in the wrong place in some text. Onthat technicality, the judge was trying to say this whole uni-gender marriage thing was acceptable. Touche...

40
posted on 02/18/2004 8:03:56 PM PST
by LearnsFromMistakes
(Abortion is the law of the land. Remind me - what was the number on that bill in congress?)

California will not accept the marriage licenses granted to thousands of same-sex couples in San Francisco because the city created its own form to remove such terms as "bride" and "groom," a state official said on Wednesday.

Oh, man - I am hoping and praying that the State of California accepts these forms as is.

I can't wait to submit my very own "original artist" state income tax forms - I mean, people in California can make up state forms, submit them and have them accepted, can't they?

And as California goes, so goes the nation, right?

I'll just get rid of various annoying lines on the state-issued form and all will be right in my little world. ;-)

There is a statewide form that every county has to use for marriage applications. If we receive application forms that are different from the single form used throughout the state, we will not accept them

Sounds like we have a massive case of FRAUD here by the city of San Francisco.

To this point the City has made in excess of $250,000 using FRADULENT forms to issue ILLEGAL Marraige Licenses.

49
posted on 02/18/2004 8:16:15 PM PST
by commish
(Freedom Tastes Sweetest to Those Who Have Fought to Preserve It)

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